Him and Her
by jnlll
Summary: The man she hates, is the man she can't resist. Reds. Based on the movie "Becoming Jane." -Oneshot.


_**Him And Her**_

_XXXXX_

"_I have never been so humiliated in all of my life!"_

The pink Powerpuff sighed, burning every piece of paper on her hand in the fire. Her two sisters watched her from the bed, Bubbles tried comforting her, to which to no avail. Buttercup crossed her arms as she leaned against the door, rolling her eyes as Blossom got into her stash of paperwork. Bubbles' eyes widened from what her sister was doing, burning every paper she had, everything she had written.

"Blossom! _Don't."_ Bubbles grabbed her hands and took the rest of the papers away from her angered sister. Finally, Buttercup had stepped in.

"Just because one man does not like your writing does not mean you are a terrible writer." She said, as if trying to comfort her. Blossom calmed down, resting her hands on her lap as Bubbles hugged her.

It all started when their Aunt Bellum had called them over, saying something about a family gathering. Everyone was present; the girls' father, Professor Utonium, had his family present as well: A mother, a father, two brothers along with their fiancée, and one ten-year-old sister. Mojo Jojo was even there, in a suit with his head held high. The gathering had started with Blossom's usual reading, a speech she had written the night before.

It was perfect, everybody loved it like they always do, except for one man who came in late and interrupted half of the speech. He stood still as eyes went focusing on him, his trench coat rather big and black as he got them off. Blossom looked at him, such an unfamiliar man. He was tall, deep red eyes and orange hair much like hers, the expression on his face bored and indifferent. The girl frowned; she knew she would _hate_ this man.

And she did, as the whole reading bored the man, and she watched as he began dozing off, bored and uninterested. But that did not stop her from reading until the end. By the time it was finished everybody applauded, and a certain somebody finally woke up. It was then followed by drinks. Everybody got their drinks, talking to one another. As soon as Blossom got her drink she was seated next to Bubbles by the large piano. Two gentlemen were near them as well, conversing, everything heard by the two girls.

"How do you like it here, son? These gatherings are certainly entertaining, I might say so myself."

"It is, and at the same time, it is not. The reading could have been better."

"What do you mean? Was it not befitting of your taste?"

"It was merely child's play, long and unentertaining at all."

Blossom made a face. Bubbles was already watching how her sister would react. The girls could not turn to face the man who had said such words, but Blossom already knew _who _it was. She immediately ran off upstairs, with Bubbles following and Buttercup noticing them, following them as well.

And that's what had happened.

"I think I need a walk." Blossom said after fixing her hair and face. Bubbles' face lit up as soon as her sister said that, Buttercup left the room.

_XXXX_

"You want me to _what_?" A young boy said, looking at his father with much rage.

"I want you to stay here for a couple of months. Surely you can do that, can you? With the reputation you already have it's better for you to stay away from such a village." Mojo said. "Why not take a walk outside? Maybe you'll calm down after that."

The man could not be more wrong. There were a lot of trees and mud outside, unlike back in town. The boy wandered deep into the forest, angrily stopping one step after the other just because of the mud that was clinging unto his shoes. He grunted, walking more and more into the forest. By the time he had calmed down he looked around the place, hoping he had not gotten lost yet. He had seen a river up ahead, much to his delight. He had heard something too, a _woman's voice. _He looked to his left and right, spotting a rather familiar figure a few feet from his right. She wore a plain pink dress, walked with ease despite the ground's condition. Her hair was up in a high ponytail. The boy's eyes widened, she had the same hair color as his. Slowly he made his way to her.

"_Miss."_ He called out the first time, and he could not help but observe the woman back away a little, trying her best to hide behind the thin trees that was keeping them from seeing each other directly. That did not stop the man, as he continued walking, swearing and cursing under his breath every time the mud and twigs in the ground stopped him from walking. Eventually the woman he called out to, stopped backing away and instead gave him a sour look, something he was surprised about.

"May I help you, sir?" she said, still walking forward. He followed, walking in the same direction as her.

"Oh yes, you're the woman from the gathering, yes? I am…"

"Sir Brick. Yes." She interrupted him, not looking at him in the eyes as they talked.

"Well, yes, and may I say how beautiful of a lady you are, Miss… Miss…"

The woman rolled her eyes. "Blossom." She said in a rather mocking tone.

"Why not have a seat and talk, Blossom?"

"Pardon me, as I have no interest in men who cannot so much as stand my presence, they fall asleep."

"Ah yes, about that…"

"No need. Save your breath, Sir. I have no interest in a man such as yourself at all."

Finally, they reached the river. Blossom was panting as was Brick, who was breathing heavily from trying to keep up with the woman. He looked at her with the most satisfying grin she'd ever seen. He threw his cloak to a nearby wood and proceeded to undress before her.

"W-what are you doing, sir?" she said, looking away as hard as she could, hiding every bit of redness that was showing on her face. By the time she was curious enough and not red enough, she took one quick glance at the man, now shirtless.

"Such a waste to have come here, is it not? How about a swim, Blossom?"

"How dare one drop formalities when one barely knows thee."

"Come on, it won't hurt to swim." He got in the cold water as soon as he threw his last piece of clothing by the other clothes he had thrown earlier. There he was, with all his glory, naked in the river. Blossom watched as he dumped his hair into the water.

She sat beside the river, eyes away from the man as possible. She dare not even talk to the man she hated. It did not take Brick much into getting focused on her again. Her expression cold and he knew he was the reason for such coldness. "Do you hate me?" he started, swimming near her.

"…Frankly, yes."

"Hate is such a strong word, is it not? Why not start off with dislike?"

"More like _strongly dislike._"

The man's smile on his face only grew. The woman was surely interesting to him. Blossom sighed deeply as she began standing up to take her leave. Brick had reacted fast enough to be able to grab her by her ankle. Blossom turned around, only for her to be pulled in the water by the man. The next thing she heard was his loud laugh. She panted, wiping her wet face. She was now in the water with him.

"Why must you do such a thing?" She looked at him, mad.

He swam to her, the smile never fading at all. "Because you need to have _fun._"

"I do know how to have fun."

"Prove it."

Her cheeks flushed as she noticed the man's bare chest only a few centimeters away. It was wide and muscular, but nonetheless _indecent._ She suddenly realized her own condition. Her eyes slowly looked down as her chest was nearly exposed. She regretted the fact that she chose to wear such light colored clothes. She did not want such a man to see her like this.

She felt humiliated for the second time. She went and got out of the river, only to slip by the mud on the ground. She fell hard again into the water, hearing nothing but her own scream and the same loud laughter from the same despicable man. "Easy." He gestured, grabbing her by the shoulders as he helped her rise from underwater. She coughed as she was finally able to breathe. He smiled at her still, but she refused to show any positive expression to him. _She hated him even more._

"You know you're not so bad yourself. With a body like that any guy would want to be your husband."

"I cannot take that as a compliment, sir. I am getting out of here."

"So soon?"

"_Yes."_

And she did, she walked away swearing and cussing under her breath. She did not look back at the man who watched her leave. Her retreating back somehow makes him smile even more. _He was even more interested in her._ He snickered to himself, still enjoying the coldness of the water of the river.

"_I hate him."_ Blossom spat as she got into the house. Bubbles watched her sister get out of the wet clothes, her hair dripping with endless water. Buttercup arched an eyebrow at her sister.

"Oh really?"

"Is that sarcasm I hear, Buttercup?"

_XXX_

Blossom could not help but watch as the man she hated stood before her, his clothes dirty from all the running and sliding into the ground. The men were playing cricket as the women all sat in the corner and watched, applauded when necessary. Brick served as the bowler, delivering the ball to the batsman. Blossom held her book closer to her, not wanting to watch such a game. Buttercup was eager to be part of it, as Bubbles just watched with wide eyes and a cake in hand. The first man up was Butch, the man Blossom's sister, Buttercup, was engaged to. Brick had delivered the ball nice and fast, to which Butch wasn't able to catch. The man earned his first and last strike, because by the second time he had the ball flying past Brick and into the forest just behind him.

Everybody rejoiced, but the game was nowhere to be over. This time it was the man Bubbles had been attracted to recently, a man by the name of Boomer. Blossom watched Brick laugh in amusement upon seeing the man. 'Such a man with such pride actually existed.' She thought as she decided to watch the game, closing her book on her lap.

Boomer had missed all three chances and gotten himself out of the game. Bubbles nonetheless looked at the man with affectionate eyes. Something like that would never make her to stop being attracted to him. Boomer went over to the girls and some guys near them, still carrying the bat. He had asked the gentlemen if they wanted to go next, to which none of them wanted to. Boomer felt the bat snatched away from his hand as he saw Blossom go near him, her eyes filled with determination and anger. The man's blue eyes widened as she walked off into field.

"Blossom? Blossom! Where are you going?" cried a certain elderly lady, who watched, surprised.

All of the men in the field were surprised, had a girl came walking in, holding the bat. Brick almost chocked on his spit. He never thought such a girl had determination to get back at him. He felt Butch's hand on his shoulder. "Go easy on her, man." To which the man did not follow. He could not go easy on someone just because she was a girl. He distanced himself from her, his grip on the ball tightened, eyes on her. She had her eyes on him as well, eyes filled with anger and distaste.

He had let go of the ball, his throw harder and faster.

She hit the ball with much ease, the loud clash of the ball and the bat only to be heard.

Everyone's eyes widened as the ball went its way to the forest, Brick pausing for a moment before realizing he had to go and get the ball. "Run, Blossom! _Run."_ Buttercup yelled, only for her sister to follow. She ran with a smile fixed on her face.

As soon as she won, she went to her sisters happily. Bubbles had greeted her with a hug, congratulating her. Buttercup was impressed, thinking how her sister could act like that. Blossom was panting, still smiling, as another person caught her attention.

"I never knew you were good." She turned around to see _him_. He walked all the way to catch her.

"Yeah, I guess." She smiled, the biggest smile he'd seen her with. In that one moment, he could feel the urge to touch her cheeks. He resisted it, clenched his fists and turned away to never again face her.

By the time night had fallen, Blossom watched her sisters sleep beside her, their serene faces peaceful and vulnerable. She grabbed her usual pen and paper, began scribbling down everything that happened. She could not help but write down the man's name. She felt embarrassed, having gone red just from writing his name and thinking about him. She couldn't help but suddenly hear noises from just outside their room. Blossom tiptoed towards the door, careful not the wake her sister up. She heard her father and aunt talking. Their voices loud and clear from the door. Blossom was not one to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but hear her name being brought in the conversation.

"That girl needs a husband! Her two sisters have already gotten themselves engaged! She cannot simply live by her pen." She heard her aunt say furiously. Her eyes widened, 'I never thought this day would come.' She thought. Then her father's voice came in.

"I cannot just tell her to marry someone she does not love. I am not willing to let her sacrifice her own happiness." Blossom smiled, she knew how much happy her father was with her writing, but then again, their family were having a financial crisis, should she marry for money?

The girl crouched down on the floor holding her knees. She simply did not know what to do.

_XX_

By midnight Blossom could not sleep at all, with her aunt and her father's conversation earlier, there was no reason she could sleep at all. She brushed her bangs as she held her head in the dark. Eighteen years of age and already going to marry? She did not like it, nor did she want it. All she wanted to do was live with her sisters and father in peace, try out different things and of course, read and write all day. She felt tears swelling up on her eyes. Not wanting her sisters to wake up because of her crying, she left the house. She stood by a tree in her nightgown, staring at the moon.

"Didn't know you were still awake there."

A voice came disturbing her thoughts. She felt a brush against her hand. Someone had decided to stand beside her and look at the moon as well. Blossom wiped her face before facing him, wiping all the tears and wishing her face wasn't so red. She looked at him, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "I-I'm sorry." She mumbled, fiddling her fingers.

"I wanted to see you again." Brick said with much confidence. His mouth forming into a smile, as his hand went its way to her cheeks. He looked at her with much delight, to which she could not understand.

"I… do not understand what you mean, sir."

"Understand this: you interest me, very much, if I may so myself, Blossom."

"Again with the informalities…"

He leaned in, shutting her up. She winced, nearly struggled, but gave in. His lips were warm and soft as it touched hers. He held her by the waist, moving her closer to him. She felt her arms rest on his chest. Everything suddenly went blank in her head. Indeed, why didn't she stop him from doing so? She closed her eyes, completely relaxed. By the time both of them had let go, they were staring into each other's eyes. Blossom couldn't help but smile.

"Tell me, do you love me?"

"I _hate_ you, I _cannot stand_ you, yet at the same time it seems _I cannot resist_ you."

"Good."

"_But_ Brick—"

"Don't you worry about that. I haven't told you before how much I earn in a year, right?"

Blossom's jaw dropped.

"So _Marry me_, woman."

_X_


End file.
